Cheese forms and heads

Pasta filata

Stretched while warm from cooking into a variety of shapes. (Pasta filata means "stretched curd.") The curd is then molded into blocks that are soaked in brine, resulting in a semi-soft cheese with a slightly salty taste. Mozzarella and provolone are the best-known cheeses in this category.

Common forms: Loaves, blocks, balls, shaped pieces and pre-shredded and diced in packages.

Soft-ripened

Also known as bloomy rind cheeses. Characterized by an edible white velvety rind that's formed when the surface is sprayed with spores of Penicillium candidum mold before curing. Examples include Brie and Camembert, both pale yellow in color with an earthy, rich flavor.

Common forms: Wheels and wedges.

Weights: 8-ounce to 6-pound wheels.

Cheddar & Colby

Cheddar is the world's most popular cheese, originated in England but now produced extensively in the United States. Flavor varies from mild to extra-sharp and color ranges from white to yellow to deep orange. As cheddar ages, its rich, nutty flavor becomes complex and its texture turns more granular and crumbly.

Colby is a mild form of cheddar invented by Wisconsin cheese makers. It's golden in color and softer in texture than cheddar. Colby is sometimes marbled with white Monterey Jack or combined with hot peppers or other ingredients.

Swiss

Firm and ivory-colored with dime-sized holes and a mellow, nutty flavor. The original is also known as Emmenthaler; other varieties include Gruyere (harder, more piquant), Appenzeller (more delicate, semi-firm with smaller holes) and baby and lacy Swiss (smaller cheeses with smaller holes due to shorter curing times).

Common forms: Blocks, wheels, loaves and random weight pieces.

Weights: 40-pound blocks; 18- to 200-pound wheels for Swiss and Gruyere, 5- to 10-pound wheels for baby Swiss; 5- to 10-pound loaves; 1 pound and up pieces and packages.

Blue-veined

Made from milk combined with a blue-green mold which permeates cheese during curing. Traditional blues like French bleu and Italian Gorgonzola are now replicated in American dairies.

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